Mathematical Modelling of The Relationship between Moisture Content of The Flour and Process Variables in Mechanical Drying of Cassava Flour Using Pneumatic Dryer

Moisture content of the materials (Ka) is the most important variable in evaluating the performance of drying process, therefore the ability to predict moisture-content of the materials in the drying process is very important. The objective of this research was to formulate a mathematical relationship between various pneumatic drying process variables and the moisturecontent of the materials of cassava flour by applying dimensional analysis. In this research, a pneumatic drying equipment and test edit in wide varieties of treatments, such as the input capacity, drying air temperature, and drying air velocity. Based on the result of data analysis, it was obtained that the relationship between moisture content of the materials and the drying process variables could be expressed as follow Ka = 1,1968 x10(-5). (rho D-pr(pr)3/Q(i)theta)(1.0121) (T-u/T-bo)(-4.9698) (V-u/D-pr theta)(4.4752) This equation had 0,722 coefficient of determination, so that it could be used to predict the moisture content of cassava flour precisely. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the dimensionless product which had the largest effect on Ka was.